The Journal of mHealth Vol 1 Issue 2 (Apr 2014) | Page 14
Industry News
Mobile Phone Camera Turned
into a Mini-Microscope
of the optics. The resolution of such
mini-microscopes was dependent on
the pixel size of the sensor, but sufficient for identification of several
pathogenic parasites.
Microscopy, being relatively easy to perform at low cost, is the universal diagnostic method for detection of most
globally important parasitic infections.
Methods developed in well-equipped
laboratories are, however, difficult to
maintain at the basic levels of the health
care system due to lack of adequately
trained personnel and resources. Modified mobile devices could provide a
novel solution to this issue.
Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, FIMM, Univer-
sity of Helsinki and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, have now shown that
novel techniques for high-resolution
imaging and image transfer over data
networks may be utilised to solve these
diagnostic problems.
The team led by Dr. Johan Lundin and
Dr. Ewert Linder modified inexpensive imaging devices, such as a webcam and a mobile phone camera, into a
mini-microscope. The test sample was
placed directly on the exposed surface
of the image sensor chip after removal
In their study published in PLOS
Neglected Tropical Diseases the
researchers were able to use the minimicroscopes they constructed to yield
images of parasitic worm eggs present
in urine and stools of infected individuals. They first utilised this novel
approach to detect urinary schistosomiasis, a severely under diagnosed
infection affecting hundreds of millions, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.
For diagnostics at the point-of-care
they developed a highly specific pattern
recognition algorithm that analyses the
image from the mini-microscope and
automatically detects the parasite eggs.
“The results can be exploited for constructing simple imaging devices for
low-cost diagnostics of urogenital
schistosomiasis and other neglected
tropical infectious diseases,” says Dr.
Lundin. “With the proliferation of
mobile phones, data transfer networks
and digital microscopy applications the
stage is set for alternatives to conventional microscopy in endemic areas.”
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The
Journal of mHealth
The Global Voice of mHealth
12
April 2014